Apparatus for Practicing Golf

ABSTRACT

Provided is a target for golf practice. The target for golf practice includes a body, a sensing unit, a visual unit, and a controller. The sensing unit is disposed in the body to sense a trajectory and a speed of a driven golf ball and an impact of the golf ball on the body. The visual display unit is disposed in the body to visually display a result of a movement of the golf ball sensed by the sensing unit through flickering. The controller calculates the result of the movement of the golf ball by the sensing unit to control the flickering of the visual display unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0096299, filed on Jul. 29, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, a golf range includes a blocking net which a golf ball driven by a golfer from a driving spot flies to the front side and then free-falls or is hit on and then falls to be collected.

Accordingly, a golf practicer (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘golfer’) has no choice but to repeat a monotonous striking action in which a user simply hits a ball toward the front side. Also, the flying trajectory of the golf ball is inevitably monotonous, and thus the golf practice becomes uninteresting, reducing the practice efficiency.

As an example of such a target for golf practice, Korean Patent No. 10-679482 discloses a target for golf practice. As described in the patent publication, the target is installed at a golf range including a blocking net that blocks a golf ball driven by a golf practicer from flying to the outside of the golf range. In the target for golf practice, which a golf practicer intends to aim at by hitting a golf ball, the target includes a target net disposed inside the blocking net and having a certain area on which a ball driven by a golfer hits; a sensor generating an electrical signal by sensing the hitting of the ball on the target net; and a notifying means that can notify a golfer that the ball is hit on the target net.

That is, when a golfer hits the target net, an impact sound is emitted, causing the golfer to be interested in the golf practice.

Also, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2009-129160 entitled “golf practice system”, as described in the patent publication, includes a target having a target point marking part at the center thereof; an impact point sensor dispose at a rear side of the target to sense an impact point of a ball; and a controller receiving data on the impact points of the ball acquired by the impact point sensor and then outputting the data to a feedback unit installed at a place adjacent to the golfer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, a typical target for golf practice described above has a low utility because being difficult to use at night. Particularly, the structure of the target for golf practice is complicated and uneconomical.

Furthermore, since the typical targets for golf practice cannot provide driving environments to a golfer, it is difficult to increase the practice efficiency.

The present invention provides a target for golf practice, which can improve the practice efficiency by allowing a golf to easily distinguish the target even at night and to recognize the driving result with naked eyes by indicating the direction of a driven ball, and particularly, can obtain an effect of exercising in an actual golf course by providing information on the environments (e.g., wind direction and speed) of a golf range to a golfer.

Embodiments of the present invention provide targets for golf practice including: a body; a sensing unit disposed in the body to sense a trajectory and a speed of a driven golf ball and an impact of the golf ball on the body; a visual display unit disposed in the body to visually display a result of a movement of the golf ball sensed by the sensing unit through flickering; and a controller calculating the result of the movement of the golf ball by the sensing unit to control the flickering of the visual display unit.

In some embodiments, the visual display unit may include at least one of: a light guide plate receive light from a light source to emit light from a surface of the body; a plurality of light emitting lamps arranged in a concentric circle in the body and controlled so as to independently emit light; and a plurality of indication light lamps vertically disposed in a body and controlled so as to independently emit light and a plurality of indication light lamps horizontally disposed in the body and controlled so as to independently emit light. The controller may allow the visual display unit to flicker when the sensing unit senses that the golf ball impacts on the body. The controller may receive information on wind direction and speed in a spatial range in which a golfer drives the golfer ball and may control the flickering according to patterns for indicating the wind direction and speed through the visual display unit. The controller may control the flickering such that a direction of the movement of the golf ball is displayed through the visual display unit when the golf ball driven by a golfer forms a movement trajectory deviating from the body. The controller may receive a trajectory of the golf ball driven by a golfer through the sensing unit and may display a result of the trajectory of the golf ball by controlling the flickering of the visual display unit corresponding to the trajectory of the golf ball.

In other embodiments, the body may have a through hole in an internal space thereof, and a blocking screen may be disposed in the through hole to close the through hole. The body may be axially fixed to a fixing frame and may be controlled so as to be folded and rotated toward a rear side when the golf ball impacts on the body, and the fixing frame may include an electric hinge such that the rotated body is restored to an original location.

In still other embodiments, the electric hinge may include a cylinder that includes an end portion thereof rotatably axial-coupled to the fixing frame and includes an end portion of a piston rod rotatably axial-coupled to one side of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a front view illustrating a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a state of allowing a golfer to recognize hit information through a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a state of allowing a golfer to recognize information about hit results through a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a view illustrating a use state of a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a view illustrating an application state of a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention disclosed herein relates to a target for golf practice, which a golfer drives a ball aiming at, and more particularly, to a target for golf practice, which can improve the practice efficiency by allowing a golf to easily distinguish the target even at night and to recognize the driving result with naked eyes by indicating the direction of a driven ball, and particularly, can obtain an effect of exercising in an actual golf course by providing information on the environments (e.g., wind direction and speed) of a golf range to a golfer.

In a target for golf practice, a target that a golfer aims at when hitting a golf ball is disposed on a blocking net, allowing the golfer to perform a driving practice. Also, in order to arouse a user's interest, various kinds of functions are added to the target, thereby improving the practice efficiency.

When a golfer hits a ball toward the target, the golfer can promptly and accurately recognize the impact point of the ball on the target, thereby improving the driving practice efficiency.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

Hereinafter, it will be described about an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 8 are view illustrating a target for golf practice according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, a target for golf practice 1 may be installed at the front side of a golfer inside a space divided by a blocking net 2 and may be used as a target point during the hitting of a golf ball 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the target for golf practice 1 may include a body 5 having an edge type of lighting object with a spatial area therein.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, as edge type of light emitting from the lighting object on the body 5 is allowed to be recognized by a golfer, the golfer can easily recognize the target point even at night.

The body 5 may be formed of a metallic plate, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The body 5 may have recesses in which the lighting objects are fixed.

The lighting object may contain a fluorescent material reflecting light to emit reflected light, and more preferably, may be formed of a donut shape of a light guide plate 4 that receives light from a separate light source and then guides light through the whole area thereof. In this case, a separate light emitting device (not shown) may be disposed in the body 5 to irradiate light on the light guide plate 4.

The target for golf practice 1 may include a sensing unit 6 disposed in the body 5 to sense a golf ball 3 driven by a golfer and thus sense the trajectory, the speed, and the impact of the golf ball 3 on the body 5.

That is, information about the movement of the golf ball 3 may be acquired by sensing the trajectory, the speed, and the impact of the hit golf ball 3 through the sensing unit 6.

The sensing unit 6 may be configured to trace the trajectory and the impact point of the golf ball 3 by calculating predetermined data through an ultra-high speed camera. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the sensing unit 7 may include one or more ultrasonic transmitters and three or more ultrasonic receivers to trace in real-time the three-dimensional coordinates of the hit golf ball 3 by calculating reflected ultrasonic data.

Thus, since the ball 3 can be traced using an inexpensive ultrasonic sensor instead of an expensive ultra-high speed camera, the cost can be reduced.

In addition, the target for golf practice 1 may include an impact sensor to sense an impact of the golf ball 3 on the body 5.

The target for golf practice 1 may include a visual display unit that is disposed in the body 5 to visually display movement data of the golf ball 3 sensed by the sensing unit 6 through flickering.

Since a golfer can perform driving practice while recognizing the impact point of the golf ball 3 through the flickering of the visual display unit, the practice efficiency can be improved.

The visual display unit may include a plurality of light emitting lamps 7 that are arranged in a concentric circle having a larger inner diameter than the light guide plate 4 of the body 5 and are independently controlled so as to emit light.

When the golf ball 3 is accurately hit on the body 5, as shown in FIG. 5, all of the light emitting lamps 7 may be configured to emit light such that a golfer can recognize the location of the impact point. When the impact point of the golf ball 3 is formed outside the body 5, as shown in FIG. 6, a portion of the light emitting lamps 7 that are disposed adjacent to the impact point centering on the body 5 may be configured to emit light such that the golfer can recognize the direction of the impact point.

Accordingly, since a golfer can perform golf practice while recognizing in real-time the trajectory of the golf ball 3 driven by himself/herself, the practice efficiency can be improved.

Also, in the target for golf practice 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the visual display unit may be configured to receive and display the wind direction and speed constituting the environment of the spatial range in which the golf ball 3 is driven through flickering.

That is, since the wind direction and speed in the golf practice space can be provided to a golfer through the visual display unit, the golfer may feel a driving effect in an actual golf course.

Accordingly, the effect of the driving practice can be improved.

The visual display unit may include a plurality of indication light lamps 8 that are disposed inside the light guide plate 4 and are arranged to form a cross shape. The plurality of indication light lamps 8 may be independently controlled to emit light.

More specifically, the indication light lamps 8 may individually emit light in upward and downward direction and left and right direction according to the wind direction to accurately display the wind direction.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, when the wind direction is one of up and down and left and right directions, the indication light lamps 8 may emit light in the corresponding direction based on the center of the body 5 such that a golfer can recognize the direction.

When the wind direction is complicated, e.g., left and up direction, the indication light lamps 8 located at the left and up side based on the center of the body 5 may emit light, notifying that the wind direction occurs at an angle between the foregoing indication light lamps 8.

Also, in order to display data on the wind speed, as the number of indication light lamps 8 that emit light increases, the wind speed may be displayed as increasing.

Accordingly, a golfer can perform driving practice while easily recognizing the wind speed.

The target for golf practice 1 may include a controller that calculates the sensing results about the movement of the golf ball 3 through the sensing unit 6 and controls the display through flickering of the visual display unit.

Thus, when the golf ball 3 impacts on the body 5, the controller may receive and calculate data sensed by an impact sensor of the sensing unit 6 to allow the visual display unit to flicker and thus allow a golfer to recognize the impact of the golf ball 3.

As described above, the controller may control the flickering of the light emitting lamp 7 to display the impact result on the body 5.

In addition, the controller may receive information about the wind direction and speed of a spatial range in which the golf ball 3 is driven by a golfer to control the flickering signal according to patterns for indicating the wind direction and speed through the visual display unit and thus allow the golfer to recognize the wind direction and speed.

As described above, the controller may control the flickering of the indication light lamps 8 to indicate the wind direction and speed and thus allow a golfer to recognize the wind direction and speed.

Also, when the golf ball 3 driven by a golfer forms a movement trajectory deviating from the body 5, the controller may control the flickering signal such that the movement direction of the golf ball 3 is displayed through the visual display unit.

As described above, the controller may control the flickering of the light emitting lamps 7 to display the traveling direction of the golf ball 3 based on the body 5 and thus allow a golfer to recognize the direction of the golf ball 3 that is driven.

Also, the controller may receive the trajectory of the golf ball 3 driven by a golfer through the sensing unit 6, and may control the flickering of the light emitting lamp 7 corresponding to the trajectory of the golf ball 3 to display a result about the trajectory of the golf ball 3.

In the target for golf practice 1, a through hole 9 may be formed in the internal space of the light guide plate 4.

Also, the through hole 9 may be equipped with a blocking net 10 to close the through hole 9. In this case, the blocking net 10 may be equipped with the impact sensor constituting the sensing unit 6 to sense an impact state of the golf ball 3.

Accordingly, when the golf ball 3 driven by a golfer accurately hits the center of the body 5, the impact sensor may sense the impact and acquire data.

The blocking net 10 may be formed of an acrylic plate or a net.

Particularly, the blocking net 10 may be substantially flat such that the golf ball 3 impacting on the blocking net 10 can easily roll down.

Hereinafter, an operational effect of the target for golf practice 1 according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 8, the target for golf practice 1 may be disposed at the front side of a golfer driving the golf ball 3 to be used as a target point.

Furthermore, when a golfer intends to perform driving practice using the target for golf practice 1, the light guide plate 4 may be first allowed to emit light, and the visual display unit may display the wind direction and speed that a direct effect on the trajectory of the golf ball 3 in the practice place for the golfer.

In this case, as described above, a calculation may be performed based on preset data according to the wind direction and speed to display the wind direction and speed by allowing the indication light lamps 8 to individually emit light.

Thus, when data about the driving environment are displayed for a golfer, the golfer can easily distinguish the target point even at night, and can feel an effect of exercising in an actual golf course.

When a golfer drives the golf ball 3 while recognizing the data, the driven golf ball 3 may travel along the movement trajectory, and the movement trajectory and speed of the golf ball 3 may be sensed, traced, and calculated by the sensing unit 6 to acquire information.

Thus, when the impact point of the driven golf ball 3 is calculated, acquired data may be inputted into the controller. Based on the data, the controller may control the visual display unit to display a result of the movement of the driven golf ball 3 to allow a golfer to check the result of his/her driving.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views illustrating a target for golf practice according to another embodiment of the present invention. In a target for golf practice 1, the body 5 may be axially fixed to a fixing frame 11. Data sensed by the impact sensor may be calculated, and thus the body 5 may be controlled to be folded and rotated toward the rear side.

The impact sensor may be replaced with a camera. It is sensed by the camera whether or not the golf ball 3 impacts on the body 5, controlling the body 5 so as to be folded and rotated toward the rear side.

That is, when a golfer accurately hits the target, a three-dimensional visual effect may further arouse a golfer's interest.

Accordingly, the interest in the driving practice can be more effectively increased.

The fixing frame 11 may be equipped with an electric hinge allows the body 5 to be folded or rotated toward the rear side or to be restored to the original location.

Accordingly, when a preset time is up, the body 5 may be restored to the original location, and then the driving practice may be immediately performed.

The electric hinge may include a cylinder 12, an end portion of which is rotatably axial-coupled to the fixing frame 11, and an end portion of a piston rod may be rotatably axial-coupled to one side of the body 5.

That is, the rotation of the body 5 may be selectively controlled by controlling the cylinder 12, and thus the reliability of the rotation of the body 5 can be secured.

As described above, the target for golf practice according to the embodiment may include the light guide plate that allows a golfer to easily distinguish the target even at night, the sensing unit and the visual display unit that provide information on wind direction and speed of a golf range and indicate the direction of a driven ball to allow a golfer to recognize the driving result with naked eyes, and controller that controls the light guide plate, the sensing unit, and the visual display unit.

According to embodiments, since a golfer can easily distinguish the target for golf practice even at night through a light guide plate and thus is not interrupted by time, the utility of the target for golf practice can be improved.

Also, since a golfer can easily check the trajectory and the impact point of a driven ball in real-time through the sensing unit and the visual display unit and when an accurate strike occurs, the body of the target falls backward, allowing the golfer to feel a sense of accomplishment, it is possible to arouse a golfer's interest in the golf practice.

Furthermore, since the wind direction and speed that have a direct effect on the trajectory of a ball in a practice place can be provided to a golfer, it is possible to improve the practice efficiency by achieving an exercise effect in an actual golf course.

In addition, since the foregoing effects are embodied in the body of the target without a separate space, economical profits can be achieved through the structural simplification.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A target for golf practice, comprising: a body; a sensing unit disposed in the body to sense a trajectory and a speed of a golf ball and an impact of the golf ball on the body; a visual display unit disposed in the body to visually display a result of a movement of the golf ball sensed by the sensing unit through flickering; and a controller for calculating the result of the movement of the golf ball to control the flickering of the visual display unit.
 2. The target of claim 1, wherein the visual display unit comprises at least one of: a light guide plate for receiving light from a light source to emit light from a surface of the body; a plurality of light emitting lamps arranged in a concentric circle in the body and controlled so as to independently emit light; and a plurality of indication light lamps vertically disposed in the body and controlled so as to independently emit light and a plurality of indication light lamps horizontally disposed in the body and controlled so as to independently emit light.
 3. The target of claim 1, wherein the controller allows the visual display unit to flicker when the sensing unit senses that the golf ball impacts the body.
 4. The target of claim 1, wherein the controller receives information on a wind direction and a speed in a spatial range in which a golfer drives the golf ball and controls the flickering according to patterns for indicating the wind direction and speed through the visual display unit.
 5. The target of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the flickering such that a direction of the movement of the golf ball is displayed through the visual display unit when the golf ball forms a movement trajectory deviating away from the body.
 6. The target of claim 2, wherein the controller receives information on a trajectory of the golf ball through the sensing unit and displays a result of the trajectory of the golf ball by controlling the flickering of the visual display unit corresponding to the trajectory of the golf ball.
 7. The target of claim 1, wherein the body has a through hole and a blocking screen is disposed in the through hole to close the through hole.
 8. The target of claim 1, wherein the body is axially attached to a fixing frame and is controlled so as to be folded and rotated toward a rear side when the golf ball impacts the body, and the fixing frame comprises an electric hinge such that the rotated body is restored to an original location.
 9. The target of claim 8, wherein the electric hinge comprises a cylinder that comprises an end portion thereof rotatably and axially coupled to the fixing frame and comprises an end portion of a piston rod rotatably and axially coupled to one side of the body. 